


Firebird

by RavenAurelieChoiseau (orphan_account)



Category: Sterek - Fandom, Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha Derek, Alpha Derek Hale, Alternate Universe - Babies, Artistic Liberties, Bottom Stiles Stilinski, Domestic Fluff, Eventual Smut, Fluff, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Same-Sex Marriage, Some angst, Top Derek, Top Derek Hale/Bottom Stiles Stilinski, True Alpha Scott McCall, scira mentioned, sterek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-06
Updated: 2018-06-06
Packaged: 2019-05-18 23:28:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14862338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/RavenAurelieChoiseau
Summary: Derek is having troubles with being a new Dad, and Stiles is doing all he can to help, not without some difficulty. Scott and other friends arrive to lend a hand, but there's a problem to deal with which just adds more drama to their lives (as usual).





	1. Even wolves get depressed

**Author's Note:**

> This story remains only two chapters. I apologize.

The little heart is thundering in Derek’s eardrums. His fingertips massage his temples, the lids to his eyes a backdrop to a personal fireworks show.  _“Oh Jesus, what I have done?”_  
A knitting needle pierces his left lobe.   
Derek’s senses are firing like mad as he detects the distress on the child.

“Stiles…it’s crying again.”   
The Alpha stands over the infant, panic painting his face. He's fisted the side of the violet cradle, white-knuckled over the painted wood.   
  
Stiles yawns, the back of his hand rubbing the fatigue from his eyes as he washes the baby bottle. He smacks his lips, gaze catching a side-glance from his husband. The big bad Alpha is trembling...and his eyes are glowing red.  _Shit._  
  
The apprehension has been building in Derek for some time. A few lines mark the wolf’s normally smooth features.  
"Yes," Stiles thinks. "It’s worry and exhaustion." Mostly exhaustion; they’ve been wearing it for months like a dark cloak.   
“It’s time to be the stronger one, yet again,” Stiles recognizes. Who knew a wolf could have post-partum depression without actually having given birth.   
  
The younger man saunters over, gripping Derek’s wide shoulders from the back. He kisses his neck sweetly, throwing the tea towel he was holding onto the nearby chair.   
“Derek, it’s not an ‘it,’ it’s our daughter,” he whispers.” Biologically, she’s YOUR daughter. Look at her.”  
Her other father’s voice calms her. The baby looks in Stiles’ direction and holds out her fingers.   
  
Derek’s hand hovers, almost grazing hers, and a pair of moss-green eyes fixate him from under long, dark lashes.  
She’s nearly the spitting image of the Alpha, though she has her mother’s face shape and lighter hair. She makes a spit bubble and Stiles chuckles.   
  
The Alpha’s features soften and his chiseled jaw relaxes. He must recognize this pup as his own, eventually.  
Stiles rests his head against his love’s cheek and sighs.   
“You know you haven’t picked her up more than a dozen times since we brought her home?”   
Stiles steps around him, lifting the child.    
  
“Hi Ava. Are you hungry, baby?,” pecking her cheek.   
Derek’s gaze falls to the floor. “I’m sorry, Stiles.” His arms drop to his sides. Jesus, doesn’t he feel useless?   
  
Stilinski isn’t stupid. Far from it. He knows he’s purposely nudging Derek’s guilt into the forefront, but he has to face this to get past it.   
“What for, Der? You’ve done nothing wrong. I just want you to enjoy her since she’s ours. For good. You’ve been living this so badly, and it’s killing me. She needs you as much as she needs me, if not more.”  
  
A larger, sadder pair of green eyes seek Stiles’ understanding.   
“I’m…afraid. What if I break her? You know I don’t know my own strength.”   
  
Stiles shakes his head, rubbing Ava’s back as he positions her over his arm. “Der- you aren’t going to break her. And quite honestly I can’t keep doing everything. I’m gonna have to go back to work, you know. It’s been three months and I am  _really, really tired of changing diapers_.”   
Stiles looks tired. Derek isn’t blind. His husband’s hair is mussed up, his clothes unkempt. Not that Derek is faring much better, but the dark rings under Stiles’ eyes do fall much lower than his own.   
A hot ball of guilt forms in Derek’s stomach.  _Shit, I haven’t been picking up the slack at all._

In a feeble attempt to save the situation, he only makes things worse. “Stiles, I told you, you don't need to work. I have Hale money, and with what I “inherited” from Peter we’re set for life.”  
Stiles guffaws. “Nice use of the air quotes, Der. We had the guy  _committed_.”   
Stiles’ annoyance is coming through, it’s difficult to keep strong emotions under control when you’ve barely slept for weeks.  
The Alpha rubs his sore nape. When did life get so difficult?  
“Fine. Since my psychotic murderous werewolf Uncle decided to kill me and so I had him put away and I took his money. Better?”

Stiles smirks. "That's a mouthful, sour wolf."   
Derek ignores the sarcasm. “Point is, we don’t need you to be working.” His eyebrows arch but his husband isn’t having it.  
  
Stiles exhales, pushing down the bitterness coating his tongue.   
“I like my job, Derek. I help people. I also need to get out sometimes. You know my Dad needs the extra hand, too.”  
  
Derek nods, defeated. “I know. You were a born detective. I’m sorry. I’m sorry I pushed this child on you. I’m just afraid to be alone with her.”   
Stiles feels for him, but that's a poor excuse for being emotionally absent.   
  
“Because you think you’ll break her?”   
“But…what if I drop her?” Derek’s voice comes off pitchy.   
Stiles lifts an eyebrow. “Just be careful.”  
“What if I eat her?”  
Stiles opens his mouth and closes it repeatedly, like some ventriloquist dummy on Adderall. He tilts his head. “I’m sorry, in what universe would you eat our child?!”  
  
Derek realizes he’s being ridiculous, but he’s genuinely terrified. “I don’t know. If I turn. I don’t know. Stiles, what if we made a huge mistake?”  
Stiles’ heart is heavy. He holds Ava up to Derek’s gorgeous face. “Sweety, you’ve got new baby cold feet. Look at this face. Look at it. How could she ever be a mistake? Now, take Ava, hold her like I taught you, while I warm her formula. Don’t make me spank you.” The sparkle returns to Stiles’ eyes. He’s absolutely not going to enable this any further.   
  
“Now that’s something I’d like to see.” Derek grins as he takes the baby, placing a hand behind her head and one beneath her bottom. He treats her with the delicacy of the finest porcelain.   
Stiles disappears into the kitchen but keeps an ear open.  
   
“Hi Ava. Hi. It’s your Daddy.” He’s trying. He needs to, for Stiles’ sake, and for Ava.   
The child coos and then smiles at him.   
“Stiles, she smiled at me!” The wolf grins from ear to ear. Maybe this will be okay. Maybe he can do this. 

“I told you!” the younger yells from the kitchen.

Derek slowly rocks her back and forth. Ava explores his face, touching his perfect nose, then his lips, and that's when the Alpha melts.  
Finally, after three months, a paternal instinct kicks in. He pulls her to him, smelling her hair. His scent, it’s on her. She’s his.   
  
“Oh Ava, I’m sorry I’ve been so distant.”  
Derek’s husband returns with a bottle in hand, grinning when he sees him in such a loving embrace.   
“We good now, Der?" His warm hand soothes the tension in Derek's shoulder.   
"You’re her father, she will love you and smile at you and then when’s 16 she’ll tell you she hates you. And despite that you are going to do everything you can to protect her, protect us, like you’ve always tried to with your pack.”   
He hands the bottle over to the wolf, who gingerly sits down in the chair.

“I know. You’re right, I know. Although I hope I do a better job with her than what I’ve done with the pack. Though you two are my new pack, and that's all I need.”   
Stiles leans in and kisses them both on the foreheads.  
“I have the uncanny ability to be right a lot of the times, my little sour wolf. I think we’re gonna be okay.”  
Derek rolls his eyes, but with a smile on his lips.   
“I still can’t believe Faith did this for us. I’m just sorry I’ve cursed Ava with the condition. You should have donated, Stiles.”   
Little Ava has wrapped her tiny hand around the wolf’s pinky as he feeds her.

Stiles hangs back, crossing his arms over his chest. “Derek, you know what my Mom passed down to me. I couldn’t risk it. She didn’t deserve that.”  
“Yeah, I know. But she was born a werewolf, Stiles. That's worse than some brain condition. What damnation have we subjected her to?”   
Stiles scratches his head. They've had this conversation too many times. It's too late now.   
  
“I don’t know, Der. But whatever it is, it’ll be better than being human. Trust me. There're times I’ve wished you’d turn me. All she is getting is a life without disease. Us not having to worry about her breaking her arm on the playground or getting cancer. I know all the cons. Jesus don’t I know them. But this isn’t a negative thing, babe. Not like you think. You’d never give it up, right? Neither would Scott. And she has the most amazing support system ever. We will never be alone.” 

The words have barely finished hanging in the air when there’s a knock on the door.   
“We expecting company?” Derek shakes the empty bottle at him.   
Stiles denies.  
“Nope,” he lies. Derek stands, always vigilant. He holds Ava just a little bit tighter.   
  
“COME IN!” The younger shouts as he makes his way to the threshold. 

As the door to the loft slides open, a grinning Scott, Kira, and Lydia rush in. Scott’s carrying groceries and Kira and Lydia are laden with colorful packages from baby stores.   
  
“Surprise!” Kira says.   
Stiles covers his mouth.  _And the Oscar goes to:_  “Oh my god, guys…when did you all get back into town?!”  
He winks at Scott.   
Scott lays the bags on the ground and runs over to Stiles, losing himself in a huge bear hug.  
 “Oh my god, dude, I’ve missed you.” As he leans in to his best friend’s welcoming arms, Scott whispers “I came as soon as I got your text.”  
"Dude, you need a shower. You smell like baby formula and talc," McCall tries to cover up.   
  
Stiles sneaks a peek over his shoulder to check if Derek heard, ( _damned werewolves and their super sonic hearing)_ , but he seems preoccupied with showing off his daughter.   
"Yeah, we're a little worn out around here," Stiles answers, a little too loudly.   
  
Lydia squeals when she spots the wee one in Hale’s arms. “Oh my god. Oh my god! Come here, come to Auntie Lydia you little angel…”  
Kira and Lydia fawn over Ava, stroking her hair and kissing her, and Derek just stands like a proud father. He seems relieved to have company, his demeanor has already changed.  
He mouths to his husband “thank you.” Stilinski blows him a kiss. The little shit heard Scott after all.  
   
“She is so beautiful, Derek. I’m just gushing!” Kira is twirling her around in the air and the little girl breaks a smile.   
Lydia watches and giggles as she fixes her long red hair up in a ponytail. “I’m sorry we didn’t come right away, Der. The gestation was so quick, too. But I am so happy for you both. She is perfect.”   
  
Derek nods. “Yeah, the mother is a werewolf, a very strong Alpha from a pack I met in the South. I saved her life when she was still a beta. I couldn’t believe it when she agreed to have Ava for us. Werewolves gestate in 3 months. It was quick, though impossible to explain to doctors so she had her at the vet clinic.”   
  
Scott leads Stiles to the window for a moment. While the other three are enjoying showering affections on the baby, Scott’s happy facade disintegrates. His big, chocolate eyes darken. The True Alpha bites into his lip and sighs.   
“Stiles, even without your text, I was on my way here. I need to talk to you. It’s urgent.”  
  
  
Little Ava: 

  



	2. Who's the Alpha here?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scott delivers some bad news, and Lydia just wants to help.

Tears have a way of beading in Stiles’ beautiful chestnut eyes. They form and linger, gathering feeling as they swell. When they finally break, becoming a tiny offering from his beaten soul to the outside world, they leave a trail along his cheeks. Just in case someone needs a map to his empathy.  
  
Stiles almost lunges at Scott, arms wrapped around the middle of his impossibly strong biceps, making it hard for him to hug back properly. The sheriff's son nuzzles into his best friend’s shirt collar and sniffles. “She’s going to be okay, Scott. She has to be.”  
The girls watch, their faces ashen. Both know the situation well.  
Kira bounces Ava, a warm hand supporting the back of the infant’s head as she steals a glance to Derek.  
  
The Alpha heard the entire conversation, also because Scott didn’t bother whispering. It would have been futile. He approaches the other wolf who is still arm-locked with his husband, enveloping them both from the side.  
“We’ll help you find who did this, Scott. I’m so sorry.” Derek’s jaw has tensed again.  
  
Stiles breaks away, running his sleeve along his nose and cheeks. “What he said. Just give me a few minutes to clean up, and then we can go down to the station and you can tell me all the det-"  Scott waves his hand.  
“Stiles, no. Not now. Not today. I didn’t come here to be a killjoy. We came here for you and Derek. And Ava.” He looks over at the little girl and beams, his kind eyes crinkling in the corner.  
  
“My Mom won’t be out of the induced coma for at least another day or two. The swelling in her brain has to go down. Please, give me this distraction. At least for today. I’ve been going out of my mind. What I need is not to dwell on this and to just… be around innocence.”  
Kira nods, her fresh engagement ring glistening in the sunlight that’s penetrating the English windows. “He’s right, Stiles. We’re here to give you guys a break…and spend some time with our niece.”

Ava makes a gurgling sound and for a moment the tension is broken. Lydia clucks her tongue.  
“See, your daughter agrees. She wants an afternoon with her aunts and uncle. When was the last time you took her to the park?”  
Stiles and Derek look at one another and shrug. They’ve been so preoccupied with her and Derek’s depression, they honestly have taken her out but a few times.  
  
“Right, there’s my answer. Kira, prepare the diaper bag.” She looks to Stiles. “I’m assuming you aren’t complete hermits and you have a diaper bag? Otherwise I got you a gorgeous Burberry one.”   
Lydia pulls it out of the checkered duffle, two perfectly manicured fingers hooked into the strap. The other hand rests on her hip.  
  
“You’re carrying that!” Stiles and Derek say to one another as soon as they see it.  
Scott chuckles, tugging on Derek's sleeve. “Lydia, maybe you should have gotten something less…pink.”  
She frowns, putting the gift back in the luggage. “Look past the gender stereotyping, gentlemen. This bag is 1700 dollars. Kira, let’s get her changed and ready. Scott, the groceries.” She snaps her fingers.  
  
The Alpha suddenly feels very beta. Stiles shakes his head as they walk over to the shoppers that were deposited earlier at the door.  
“I thought you were engaged to Kira, Scott.” Derek is struggling to keep in his laughter as his cheeks puff out.  
McCall is used to it. Kira and Lydia live a block away from each other. “They’re inseparable. It’s like I’m going to have two wives, double the complaining...without twice the sex.”  
Stiles’ facial expression says it all: YIKES.

Once groceries have been put away, and the girls return with a freshly bathed and clothed Ava, Lydia hands her over to Scott. The baby wolf immediately coos.  
Derek furrows his brow, but it’s only for a brief moment. “Sorry, bro. Babies adore me,” McCall quips, smirking like a pro.

“Right,” Lydia commands. “We three are taking Ava to the park, and to do some shopping. You two…” she points at Stiles and Derek…”take a shower, relax, and we’ve known each other long enough for me to say this: fuck. I heard it’s been a while.”  
Derek stabs Stiles with an eye dart, to which he raises his shoulders and throws his palms up, feigning ignorance. “What?” he mouths.  
  
“Yeah, we’ll be back in 5-6 hours. So please plan the…ahem…extracurriculars accordingly. We don’t want poor Scott here to bleed out his ears,” Kira jokes.  
The True Alpha snickers as he kisses Ava on the top of her tiny hand. "Yeah, I've already walked in on you guys once and that will forever be burned into my memory."   
  
Lydia claps. “Right. So you guys good with the plan? We’ll be back by dinner, which Kira will cook for us, fyi.”  
The wolf father has passed from indifference to overprotection. “Guys, please be careful. She’s sensitive. And if you need anything…call us.”  
  
The banshee waves them away. “Yes yes, Daddies…and I don’t mean that sexually,” she blows them a kiss.  
“We’ll be fine. You two enjoy yourselves. For the love of god take advantage and don’t fall asleep on us on the couch.”  
  
Stiles lifts a finger. “I have to be honest, a six-hour nap sounded very tempting.”  
Both fathers kiss their daughter goodbye, and the supernatural trio, the baby in tow, file into the elevator.  
“Stroller is- “  
Lydia interrupts Stiles. “Yes, at the door. I saw it on the way in. Bye lovebirds, have fun!”

As soon as the door shuts, the couple fall on one another like ravenous animals.   
"Soo...." Stiles manages as he's removing Derek's shirt with very eager tugs. Derek shuts him up with his mouth, fingers already twisted into the back, on his nape.   
"Mmm...pants...off...now," he murmurs as he kiss-walks Stiles to their gigantic bed.   
  
 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh...smut is in the very next chapter. Apologies. It's super late here and I wanted to get this one in before tomorrow.  
> It will be worth the wait, I promise!

**Author's Note:**

> I would have liked to continue this but I know I won't. Thank you for reading.


End file.
